The present invention relates to telecommunications, and in particular, to a system and method for dynamically updating information at a storage destination in a signaling network.
Telecommunication services typically need to update subscriber information frequently, such as whether new messages have been recorded in a subscriber""s voicemail box, to provide optimal performance. By updating this information, a telecommunications service can then rapidly alert subscribers of messages or other events in near real time.
Most telecommunication systems now support the SS7 (Signaling System 7) Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP) call-control protocol as described in American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard T1.113-1995, hereby incorporated by reference. This standard provides the protocol guidelines for the SS7 signaling network, which supports communication of all signal traffic.
The SS7 signaling network comprises customer premises equipment (CPEs), links or trunk lines, switches and databases. To provide enhanced services, telecommunication service entities must interact with these SS7 system components and provide them with information and events related to their subscriber base so that appropriate signals are transmitted by the SS7 network * subscriber CPEs.
Within the SS7 system, one of the types of component switches, incumbent local exchange carriers (iLECs) class 5 switches can provide the functionality needed to update subscriber information and arrange for appropriate signaling to the subscriber base. However, these switches are owned and largely controlled by the local exchange carrier companies. For other entities, it is not practical to perform these services directly through the class 5 switches, necessitating other techniques to update information and provide for appropriate signaling.
Information stored within a signaling network is modified. Information is inserted within fields of a signaling message that are not dedicated to another use and the signaling message is sent to a storage destination within the signaling network. At the storage destination, information is extracted from the message and existing databases are modified to reflect the addition of the extracted information.
In one embodiment, a subscriber database within a service control point is modified. This embodiment comprises assembling an ISUP initial address message containing, within its parameters, new subscriber information and sending the ISUP initial address message to a service control point. At the service control point, specific subscriber information is obtained by identifying and interpreting data stored within particular message parameters. The subscriber database is updated to reflect the obtained information.